Electronic device manufacturing systems may include one or more process chambers that are adapted to carry out any number of processes, such as degassing, cleaning or pre-cleaning, deposition such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), or atomic layer deposition (ALD), coating, oxidation, nitration, etching (e.g., plasma etch), or the like. One or more load lock chambers may also be provided to enable entry and exit of substrates from a factory interface (otherwise referred to as an “Equipment Front End Module (EFEM)”). Each of these process chambers and one or more load lock chambers may be included in a cluster tool, where a plurality of process chambers and one or more load lock chambers may be distributed about a transfer chamber, for example. A transfer robot may be housed within the transfer chamber and adapted to transport substrates on one or more end effectors to and from the various process chambers and one or more load lock chambers. A slit valve opening may be provided between the transfer chamber and each process chamber and load lock chamber. One or more end effectors of the transfer robot may pass through the slit valve opening to place or extract a substrate (e.g., a silicon-containing disc) into, or from, a support (e.g., a pedestal or lift pins) provided within the process chamber or load lock chamber.
Once the substrate is properly disposed within the process chamber, the slit valve may be closed, and the processing of the substrate may commence. As part of the processing, particulates may be formed due to moving components in the system, relative motion between the substrate and the end effector, and other sources. Regardless of their origin, if such particulates come to rest on the processed substrates, substrate quality may be impacted. To minimize particulates, some prior systems have included a plurality of individual gas diffuser assemblies. Although such systems have been effective at providing particulate reduction, such individual gas diffuser assemblies may suffer from certain performance problems and may be relatively costly.
Accordingly, improved gas diffuser assemblies, systems, and methods for chamber gas purge are desired.